《Glass Ceilings》|38| The Finals

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"Hey my JuJu, you're smiling at me." Zo kissed all over her face. She made a little noise. She's now two months, and she loves her Zo Zo. We were at the Finals. This was Julia's first game.

The game was minutes away, and all the players were over to us, loving on Julia. My family came out as well as Zos, including his big sis Mai. She hasn't said anything to me at all. I did see her glancing at Julia, though.

Zo took Julia with him on the court while he and his teammates did their pregame interviews. They had him up on the big screen. He was so excited about having her here, her first public appearance.

"Awe look at that sweet face and those beautiful brown eyes." The interviewer squealed.

"Thank you. She gets that from her momma." He laughed, smiling.

"Cute, she's so adorable." The reporter smiled while shifting gears. "So the finals, is it looking like Deja Vu yet?"

"Yes," he chuckled. "Going up against Oklahoma again, although we do have home-court advantage. Hopefully tonight we can come out with the win."

"Yes, this is game five, with the series being three to one. What are you hoping for from your teammates to close out tonight?"

"Um, I would say if we could just keep the ball moving and communicate as a team, that's my goal." He looked down at Julia. She was reaching her hand out to his face.

"The fans are all here. They're ready for you to bring this championship back here to Los Angeles." The reporter said while looking around at the crowd chanting his name. That made him chuckle.

"I'm honored and thankful to even be in this position. Also to my biggest fan right here, Julia." He pulled the blanket off of her a little bit so everyone could see her small mini yellow and white jersey and matching skirt. I had on my fitted jersey and ripped blued jeans to match them.

It's now June, and my best friend and brother are all set to leave in the morning. After the game we'll be saying our goodbyes, —well see you later. I'm going to miss them but as soon as I get in position to visit I will.

My residency starts in two weeks. I've been busy these last two months, getting Julia set up with a nanny. I didn't want to get a nanny, but Zo insisted. So we interviewed and hired his little sisters Nannie. Her name is Rose, and she's an elderly Spanish woman. I love the fact that she's bilingual so Julia could learn. My mom was happy about that too. Rose has a lot of experience with children, and she's flexible to travel.

Kenzo came walking back over to me, smiling holding baby girl.

"The ladies are going to be all over you now. The Kenzo Lawrence holding a baby, —you're trying to steal some hearts?" I giggled at him.

"Nah just yours, but if you start acting up Julia and I might have to weigh our options. —I see a few prospects here just in case. So get it together pretty lady." He looked me up and down smirking at me.

I gave him a smug look.

"Come here." He bit down on his lip. He had his free arm behind my back, pulling me closer to him. I played like I didn't want him to kiss me turning my face. Julia was staring up at us studying our faces while she was cradled in his arms. "Give me kiss."

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I shook my head being stubborn "Take back what you said."

"I will when you give me a kiss."

"Nope." I tucked my lips.

"You want me to beg?"

"Nope, you better go the teams getting ready." I pointed.

"Alright then, keep your kisses." He pouted.

"Shut up." I leaned in and kissed him, biting his lip in the process.

"Ouch, you're going to stop doing that."

I laughed, reaching in to get Julia. "Now go win."

"You better be lucky you're pretty." He leaned in, pecking my lips a few times more before running off. I went back over to my seat in between my best friend Char and Zo sister Jade. Everybody's seated paired up as usual.

I placed some little mini headphones on Julia just in case it got too loud for her.

"Let me hold my baby." Char smiled, gesturing for Julia. I handed her over. "Aww I'm going to miss her so much, I'll have to FaceTime her every day." She leaned in and smelled her.

"We'll miss you too. I'll even do her a little mini photoshoot when I try on her retrofits you bought her."

"Yesssss, and make sure she has on her mini press on hoops —oh and baby hairs must be slicked down. She has to go all the way with it." We laughed, then we just took a moment staring at her. "She's so beautiful and hairy. She finally got a little tan on her."

"Looking like her daddy," I mumbled.

"She does Di. Maybe she'll get some of your features later." She admitted, with her face twisted up.

"I mean Nelson's not a bad looking guy. He's easy on the eyes. I did have a whole relationship with him. So of course, he's a nice-looking guy. —I'm ok with her looking like him. That's her father." I shrugged in an I guess so type of way.

"Speaking of him, what did he say when he called?" She was asking about the one phone call I received from him. It was about a week ago.

"I was actually in the bathroom, Zo answered it." I looked over at Zo he was laying court-side getting his legs stretched. We were seated a few rows in because I didn't want Julia to be so close to the court. I also didn't want to sit in VIP because I like being where the real fans were.

"Yikes."

"Zo said he tried to say some slick stuff to him. Trying to say I was using our daughter against him. He also said that I wanted him back, —well, he implied it."

"Bottom line, has he tried to come to to see her?" She questioned.

"No, he saw her at the hospital and hasn't since. No visits or anything." I sighed, thinking about the day his mom reached out to me and agreed to come by my condo. It was my second week at home.

"Is that her?" Zo asked, hearing a knock at the door. He was burping the already sleeping, Julia. She was resting on his bare chest, swaddled in a blanket. He was leaned back reclined on the sofa watching game film.

"Probably." I got up to open it.

"Hi." Ms. Lola smiled at me. She was standing in her fur coat with her diamonds and designer heels.

"Hi." I greeted her expressionless gesturing for her to come in. She came in following behind me. Her eyes instantly went to Kenzo and Julia.

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"I'm not sure if you met him at the hospital, this is Kenzo. Zo, this is Nelson's mom, Ms. Lola."

"Nice to officially meet you, ma'am." He put the recliner down so he could sit up.

"Same to you." She tightly smiled at him.

Kenzo stood up, grabbing Julia little hat and booties from off the table after turning the tv off. "I'll give you some privacy." I nodded, he walked off, taking Julia in the room closing the door.

"Do you want to sit?" I asked slightly dry, her words I overheard on the phone started replaying in my head. Plus she was at the hospital and barely said anything to me, now here we are two weeks later. Still no apology.

"Sure." We and sat on the sofa. I turned to the tv looking at the dark screen. I could see her reflection through it. She was getting lent from her fur.

"I can hang your coat up if it's too warm." I offered.

"No, I'm ok." She stared around the room, eyeing my decor.

I waited for her to spark up a conversation, but I got nothing. I wasn't about to give her nudge either. We can stay like this all night. I got time.

I turned my attention to my curtains, thinking about a new color I could work in with my color scheme. 'Maybe a soft gold or Smokey grey would work, but then I would have to change my rug. Or I could get the same curtains styled in a different color. The pattern works with the rest of the decor.

My thoughts were interrupted by her, finally finding her words. "My son and I wanted to know if we could come up with some arrangement. Maybe I can make dinner at my house, and you can bring my grandbaby? Or we can maybe plan a visit?"

"Where's your son?" I kept my eyes on the curtains.

"I thought it was best for me to step in, to keep things civilized and —mature."

I laughed a little to myself. "With all due respect, I do not understand what you're saying exactly. Are you saying all communication from now on will go through you? Are you saying I'm immature, or uncivilized? I'm so not with the underhanded comments anymore."

"No, I said none of those things. Sometimes it takes another person to step in, to make sure everyone involved is being mature is all."

I sighed out of frustration. "I've made every effort to include him. So you're clearly talking about your son. I'm not immature." I spoke louder, finally engaging in eye contact.

"I didn't come here to argue or to be negative. This is me being the bigger person by coming to you personally trying to work something out. —What about when you start your residency, whose keeping her? I'm free." She suggested.

"I already have a nanny in place, Kenzo and I already discussed that."

"Kenzo?" She made a huffing sound shaking her head. She moved her hair behind her ear slightly rolling her eyes.

"Yes, Kenzo."I perched my lips and relaxed my brows.

She then put on her best happy face."Well, it was a pleasure catching up with you, dear. Hopefully, we'll be in touch. Is there any way I can see my grandbaby before I go?"

"I'll go get her," I spoke low standing up. I hate being around toxic people. It's so draining.

I went into my bedroom and let out a huge breath of frustration. Kenzo stood from the bed and made his way over to me.

Julia was in her sleeper, looking around, kicking her little legs and arms. She was smiling and laughing, such a happy baby.

"She wants to see her." I slid my arms around Zo he held on to me tight. "I honestly don't even want to be around her anymore."

"You want me to go out there with you?" He rubbed his hands up and down my side.

"No, I'll be fine. She'll only have something negative to say about it." I traced kisses on top of his bare shoulder as he continued leaning in to hug me.

He sighed. "I don't care how much negative shit she has to say. I'm in your life and Julias. That's not changing. I don't know if they forgot, but he didn't sign the birth certificate. They shouldn't have anything to say. —And if they keep on disrespecting you, I won't mind cussing her old ass out, her son too."

"Let me go so she can see her. I'll be back." I peeled away from him, then went over to get Julia. I slowly left the room, closing the door behind.

"She's so beautiful. She has your eyes." Ms. Lola spoke, I handed her Julia. "You're going to have a time fixing all that hair."

"We need to get her christened." She went on to say.

I sat down at the end of the sofa, leaving the middle space between us.

She stayed for a while holding her.

"Di you alright?" My twin peeked over Char seated next to him asking me. I nodded. "You zoned out, was in deep thought."

I laughed realizing I did. "My bad, what were you saying?"

"Where they going after this? The way this game's going, this is already in the bag. They came out strong as fuck, dominating."

"Watch your language around my God baby." Char nudged him.

"Man chill out." He smiled at her.

"I think they were having a party at Marcel's house." I remembered Zo gelling me about it.

"You going?"

"I might. I'm still debating. This would be my first time away from Julia." I made a pouty face.

"Julia will be fine. Your parents said they were going to keep her tonight. I'm sure Kenzo want some adult time with his woman tonight. After all, it's a celebration. Bust it open friend!" Char chimed in, my brother Julian mugged her.

"Here you go talking reckless around my niece —and me." He took Julia from Char. "Come to Uncle Ju. You don't need to hear these weirdos discussing weird things. Sadly one of them is your momma. I don't know who that other lady is trying to follow me back to Europe."

"Shut up." Char nudged Jr again.

"Are you and Jr going to the party?"

"I don't think we'll have time to. Our flight is crazy early." She scooted closer to me.

"Oh."

She poked her lip out, giving me a pouting face. "Don't act like that; it's nothing to pick up the phone and call me. I'll visit as much as I can."

"I know, but still." I did little bit of an eye roll.

She wrapped her arms around me, giving me a side hug and pulled my head down on her shoulder. "You'll be aight."

"Stoppppp." I told her, she was swaying back and forth petting my head. I pushed off of her laughing.

We focused in on the game. We were approaching the half, up by eight. The ball movement and everything were in sync. They were playing like winners.

I was into the game overall, but I was more interested in number fifteen running up and down the court. I swear Kenzo gets even sexier once he steps out there on the court.

His muscles were flexing with sweat beads sliding down his slightly golden skin. That summer time tan was already kicking in.

The way he takes charge out there, setting up plays is enough to get anybody riled up. I see why women are so thirsty and continuously in his DMs. Hell, it's not even just his DMs, it could be in his comment section or randomly face to face.

If not careful, he truly could break someone's heart. He has mine though, and I have his. Which makes him even sexier because I know it's genuine.

Sometimes we could be in a room filled, and even then all his attention would be averted to me.

Most of all, I love the way he loves my daughter and cares for her. They have their own little relationship, hell they had that even before she was born.

The half time buzzer sounded off. Kenzo waved at me before sprinting off to the locker room.

My dad and Kenzos dad Mr. Gabriel left to get everybody some food from the concession stands. I stayed seated, but I did notice Mai walking over to their mother. For a minute I forgot she was even here. She walked passed me without even looking my way.

My phone buzzed.

You ok?

Yes, keep up the momentum babe. You are a freaking rock star. Now go secure the bag.

I love you.

I love you too.

____________________________

💚💜💚💜

📎🤷‍♀️🏾

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